L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love), an Italian comic opera, was written by Gaetano Donizetti in just two weeks. Premiered in Milan in 1832, it was immediately a tremendous success. Its amusing and witty plot describing relationships of a loving couple and beautiful, melodious and light music make L’elisir d’amore one of the most frequently performed 19th-century Italian operas.

The libretto of the opera, written after the French playwright Eugene Scribe’s comedy, is based on the legend about the magic love potion, taken from Gottfried von Strassburg’s courtly romance Tristan. The unexpected, mock interpretation of the medieval legend gives it a new meaning: people are capable of filling each other with the elixir of love and kindness without any magic potion.

The feelings experienced by the opera’s characters – love, coquetry, rivalry, jealousy – are everlasting as life. So, the story of L’elisir d’amore could be set at a Venetian carnival several centuries ago, just as well as in a present-day town.

Synopsis

ACT I.

Basque country, c. 1830. Adina, wealthy owner of a local
farm, her friend Giannetta and a group of peasants are resting beneath a shade
tree on her estate. At a distance Nemorino, a young villager, laments he has
nothing to offer Adina but love. The peasants urge their mistress to read them a
story — how Tristan won the heart of Isolde by drinking a magic love potion. No
sooner has Adina done so than Sgt. Belcore swaggers in with his troop. The
soldier’s conceit amuses her, but he is not dissuaded from asking her hand in
marriage. Saying she will think it over, she orders refreshments for his
comrades. When Adina and Nemorino are left alone, he awkwardly declares his
love. She tells him his time would be better spent looking after his ailing
uncle than mooning over her, for she is fickle as a breeze.

In the town piazza, villagers hail the traveling
salesman Dr. Dulcamara, who proclaims the virtues of his patent medicine. Since
it is inexpensive, the villagers buy eagerly. When they have gone, Nemorino asks
Dulcamara if he sells the elixir of love described in Adina’s book. Pulling out
a bottle of Bordeaux, the charlatan declares this is the very draught. Though it
costs him his last cent, Nemorino buys the wine and hastily drinks it. Adina
enters to find him tipsy; certain of winning her love, he pretends indifference.
To punish him, Adina flirts with Belcore, who, informed that he must return to
his garrison, persuades her to marry him at once. Horrified, Nemorino begs Adina
to wait one more day, but she ignores him and invites the entire village to her
wedding feast. Nemorino rushes away, moaning that he has been ruined by
Dulcamara’s elixir.

ACT II.

At a local tavern, the pre-wedding supper is in
progress. Dulcamara, self-appointed master of ceremonies, sits with the bridal
couple. Adina’s mind is distracted by the doctor, who suggests they blend their
voices in a barcarole about a gondoliera and her wealthy suitor. When the duet
ends, Adina goes off with Belcore to sign the marriage contract; the guests
disperse. Remaining behind, Dulcamara is joined by Nemorino, who begs for
another bottle of elixir; his pleas are rejected, because he has no money.
Belcore returns, annoyed that Adina has postponed the wedding until nightfall;
he spies Nemorino and asks why he is so sad. The youth explains his financial
plight, whereupon the sergeant persuades him to join the army and receive a
bonus awaiting all volunteers. Belcore leads the perplexed Nemorino off to sign
him up, enabling him to buy more elixir.

Peasant girls, gathered in the square, hear from
Giannetta that Nemorino’s uncle has died and willed him a fortune. When the
youth reels in, giddy from a second bottle of wine, they besiege him with
attention; unaware of his new wealth, he believes the elixir finally has taken
effect. Adina and Dulcamara arrive in time to see him leave with a bevy of
beauties, and she, angry that he has sold his freedom to Belcore, grows doubly
furious. Hoping to sell Adina a bottle of elixir, Dulcamara claims that
Nemorino’s popularity is due to the magic potion. Adina replies she will win him
back through her own charms. Reentering alone in a pensive mood, Nemorino takes
heart because of a tear he has seen on Adina’s cheek, but when she appears, he
acts disinterested. She confesses she bought back his enlistment papers because
she loves him.

Back in the piazza, Belcore marches in to find Adina affianced to Nemorino;
declaring that thousands of women await him, he accepts the situation
philosophically. Attributing Nemorino’s happiness and inheritance to the elixir,
Dulcamara quickly sells more bottles before making his escape.